My Pearl
by realfakedoors
Summary: Pearl takes a six year old Steven out for ice cream, is mistaken for his mother, and they run into Amethyst on the boardwalk. Fluff, one-shot.


Beach City was a tourist trap, especially in the summertime. People up-and-down the East Coast would flock to Delmarva in droves, cozying up to different seaside towns for a classic destination-vacation. After all, along the boardwalk, it was like a pure slice of americana; fresh cut french fries, a buzzing arcade, cheesy t-shirts and souvenirs galore. It was a perfect picture of warm breezes, swishing tides, crying gulls, and chattering, happy families.

On this day in particular, one such family was placing an order at _Cone'N'Son_ , just past the arcade, and in Pearl's opinion, they were taking _forever_.

" _Pearl_ ," a boy no older than six whined, tugging at the tulle of her skirt. "'Is _hot_."

"I know, Steven," she said with a careful pat of his familiar-but-too-dark curls. "Just another minute and it'll be our turn."

She had long since drowned out the parental figures bickering over size and toppings for their - what, six children? It made the lithe gem shudder; she was barely managing caring for one. Greg being out of town for a funeral only made it harder, and it wasn't like Amethyst or Garnet were going to be able to help. The former was too unpredictable, and after the " _It's fine, he likes hanging upside down from the Ferris Wheel_!" incident, Pearl was _not_ going to leave him to the purple gem's care unsupervised ever again. Garnet had been good with Steven as an infant and toddler - frustratingly so, if she were honest - but as an adolescent, Steven seemed a little unsure of her size and overall demeanor. Not in a _fearful_ way, not exactly, but the boy loved to talk, to sing, to dance, to cook, to make a mess, to then help clean it up, to watch T.V., to swim and run and read. He loved to do things, to do _everything_ , and their fusion leader was just a degree too severe for Steven to seem _fully_ comfortable around her.

So today, exactly one week before Steven's birthday, she was standing patiently in line with the child by her side. Ice cream, she had read from her hundreds of childcare books, was full of sugars and fats, so she had been weary at first to agree. But he wore such a… a… _frustrating_ pout when she had hesitated that Pearl just _couldn't_ say no. To have been the one to crush his hopes, living in those large dark eyes, so vulnerable and pleading, would have probably shattered her.

A head leaned against her knee, releasing a soft groan. "I think I'm melting."

"That's impossible," she answered immediately, though her voice was sharp. "Your hair and skin would burn off first; it'd have to be much hotter for your flesh to begin to melt."

Wide-eyes looked up at her, seemingly perplexed and a bit horrified by this knowledge. Pearl's lip curled when she realized that he was still too young to understand such things.

"Um, what I meant to say, Steven," she hastily tried to recover by kneeling to his level, smiling. "Is that… um, you can't melt! Nope! And even if you could, I wouldn't let it happen. I'd protect you from becoming a… a puddle? I promise to always protect you, my little Steven... Although, you _are_ already a little puddle of cuteness," she punctuated the statement by poking his cheek, earning her a bubbly little giggle.

"Pearl, _stop!"_ Steven tried to swat her hand away, but the adoration in his voice was simply too inviting. Before she really thought on it, her hands moved to his ribs and began to poke and tickle them, making him laugh in earnest.

Steven squirmed and giggled, trying to wriggle away from her. " _Nooo!_ "

"Yes!" She chimed easily, joining in his laughter. "Oh! Look, it's our turn."

Gesturing in front of them, the family of eight ( _Oh my stars_ , Pearl thought) finally received their ice cream and moved away, down towards the welcoming sands and happy splashes of the tide. Pearl scooped Steven up and propped him on her hip with one arm, and he gasped excitedly to be at height with the counter.

"Hello, how can I help you?" A teenaged girl greeted, adjusting the visor that Pearl could only assume was a part of her uniform.

"Hi," the gem said mechanically, and Steven quickly followed by her example.

"Hi! I'm Steven! I… I wanted an ice cream." He nodded seriously towards the end, and Pearl thought he might have been trying to emulate Garnet. It wasn't the best impression, but she would be lying if it wasn't heartbreakingly sweet.

The clerk seemed to share that sentiment. "Oh, well we'd better get you an ice cream then. What'll be?"

Apparently, Steven hadn't thought that far ahead, because he bit his lip and receded slightly into Pearl's hold, almost shyly. "Umm…"

"He'll want a child's scoop of neapolitan in a cup, please. With rainbow sprinkles." Pearl added when it was apparent Steven wouldn't answer on his own.

Steven whispered up towards her chin. " _A lot of sprinkles!_ "

With no small effort to keep from laughing, Pearl wearily grinned at the young woman. "...If you can, _extra_ sprinkles would be appreciated."

"You got it! That'll be $2.39. Let me grab it real quick." The girl disappeared from the little window momentarily so Pearl quickly pulled out her wallet from within her gem. Calling the shimmery blue-white light was as natural to her as breathing was to Steven, so it always took her by surprise when he gasped in wonder at the display. It was just another function of being any other Pearl, not something to really gawk at. Still, she allowed herself to feel a tiny swell of pride by the way he gaped, transfixed by the smallest example of magic. It was… _nice_.

"Here it is," she commented off-handedly, catching the beaten coin purse with her free-hand.

At her side, Steven sighed happily and leaned his head against her chest. " _Wow_."

"Don't be silly - but what am I saying?" She paused to smirk, and Steven wrinkled his nose at the teasing quality of her tone. "You're _always_ silly, aren't you?"

"Pfft. No!" Huffing, Steven crossed his arms petulantly, but continued to lean his head against where her heart might have been, were she human.

The girl re-appeared just then, and Pearl realized she was smiling, probably looking maniacal. She wiped the expression from her face.

"Alright, here we go. One neapolitan, with all the fixings!"

Steven, still acting a bit meek, just gazed up at Pearl expectantly.

The worker looked sympathetic and bent at the waist slightly, trying to catch Steven's eye. "Here bud, why don't I just give it to your Mom and she can -"

Pearl recoiled violently. "I am not his- "

But Steven just nodded, so Pearl paused and decided to drop it. The semantics didn't matter to this human, and she assumed Steven's compliance was just a way to get them out of there faster. She quickly accepted the ice cream and paid, bidding the clerk thanks and hastily moving away.

Once a few paces down the boardwalk, heading back in the general direction of the Temple, she felt Steven frown against her.

"Something wrong?"

"...Want down," he answered quietly, and Pearl wordlessly compiled. Standing on his own, she offered him the neapolitan cup, and his features brightened instantly.

"You'd better eat this before it melts, we wouldn't want to waste it, right?"

Steven eagerly nodded and accepted the sugary offering, his usual animated grin returned.

"Thank you! Thank you Pearl!" He said before taking a big bite, filling his cheeks like one of those earth mammals she'd seen in the trees. The name hadn't been important enough for her to learn, but the comparison at the moment was beyond amusing.

Steven's tiny fingers automatically reached up, grasping for her hand without really looking. She stifled a chuckle and bent awkwardly to one side, accepting his offer, and his grip was soft and warm. It was something that had confused her at first, the hand holding, but she ultimately reasoned that it was something that helped him feel more secure, so if it would help him feel safe, there wasn't any reason to question it. Besides, for some reason, it was oddly satisfying for her, too.

" _Hey guys!_ " A voice snapped Pearl from her quite musing, and she blinked suddenly to see a purple mop of hair sprinting towards them.

"Am'yst!" Steven mumble-yelled with a mouth full of ice cream.

Pearl raised a brow as the short gem came to a stop in front of them. "Hello, Amethyst."

"Sup! There's my Ste-man, got yourself some grub, little guy?" She mussed his hair, and he giggled a happy little sound. "And how's my Pearl doin'?"

The comment was totally innocent, she knew - just Amethyst speaking in her usual atrocious slang. Pearl had gotten so used to it that the phrase didn't even really register, but Steven grabbed her skirt and took a half-step in front of her, scowling.

" _No!_ Mah Pearl. Mine. She mine!"

Amethyst just laughed it off, chalking up the comment to be another cute passing moment of Steven's. Pearl, on the other hand...

At first, she couldn't decide if she was supposed to be alarmed or terrified. What was he saying? Did he somehow… did he _know?_ Maybe Rose's memories _were_ in there after all, slowing coming out as he aged. Could it be possible?

More troubling, why was she feeling _proud_? Shock, fear, worry - those all seemed to her rational reactions right now, but all she could feel was a surging rush of affection for the boy standing protectively in front of her. He had a hand half-raised like he was shielding her from Amethyst, a gesture she'd thrown up to protect Rose a thousand times over.

"Steven?" Pearl's tone was oddly strained, so she tried to clear her throat. Steven peered upwards, his protective glare turning to something of guilt and worry.

A little calmer, she tried again with a soft smile. "Steven, why did you say that?"

Frowning, he looked at his shoes. "Umm… w-well, 'cause, umm… you always call me 'my Steven'... a-and I thought that's what I was 'pposed to say… was that wrong?"

Pearl didn't know what she was expecting him to say, but it certainly wasn't that. From behind him, Amethyst was eyeing the two skeptically, almost looking bored.

"P-Pearl! D-don't cry!" Steven gasped, dropping his cup of ice cream and throwing himself forward to hug her. Automatically, Pearl's hand shot out and caught it before it could hit the ground, but the rest of her stayed frozen in the unexpected embrace. When had she started crying?

"I-I'm s-s-sorry… I w-won't… say it again!"

Eventually, the white gem wrapped her arms around the tiny boy and picked him up again, squeezing him tightly.

"No, Steven, no, it's okay. Shh…" She spoke low, face pressing tenderly into his hair. "You can say it, if you want. I just… was surprised…"

A sniffling, red face gazed up at her. "Y-y-you're… not mad a-at me?"

"Never, my silly little Steven," she replied with a loving smile. He returned it slowly, the trust apparent in his shining eyes. "Now, do you want to finish your ice cream? Amethyst might eat it if you don't hurry…"

The purple gem, who had been awkwardly shuffling in the middle of the sidewalk when the two had started crying, jumped at the opportunity to be helpful and cheer him up. She rapidly shapeshifted into a crowd favorite - the crocodile - and playfully began to snap at Pearl's hand holding the cup.

" _No!_ " Steven gasped, wiggling down to grab the cup from Pearl's hand before Amethyst could get her big scaly mug near it. "You can't have it!"

"Drat," the purple gem snapped her fingers like she'd been bested by the world's most accomplished mastermind. "Maybe next time!"

"Nope." Steven stuck his tongue out. "Pearl'll protect me. She promised."

The white gem bit her lip to keep from smiling and began walking again, still holding Steven close. "I _did_ say that. You're outnumbered, Amethyst."

The shorter gem fell into step with her and nudged her leg. "We'll see about that!"

"I guess we will," Pearl agreed, and Steven shot her a winning smile. He put so much trust into her that it hurt - _Pearl wouldn't lie to me_ , was written all over his adorable face.

It was impossible for her _not_ to lie to him, even if she didn't want to. So... she would do her best to minimize the lies, to do her best to be honest whenever she could.

She would protect him, and his little cup of ice cream. That was a promise she could keep.


End file.
